Last Kiss
by LxISxAxBABE
Summary: While returning from a date, misfortune strikes. Short and sweet, song-fic. Rated T, for blood and suffering.
1. Original Version

I've noticed that when you're alone, reclined in a chair, lying on your bed, hell even washing your hair in the shower, music means so much more. At least, that's how it is for me. So when I found myself listening to Pearl Jam one night, the lyrics struck me. I felt the sorrow and the lament in them, and I decided that it was a wonderful song to apply to Austria and Hungary.

Hope you enjoy~

**Last Kiss**

When was it again? Was it nighttime?

I think it was. That air had been thick, muggy, oppressive, but you never do notice the weather when you're spending time with someone you love. It was mid-summer, we were in a car, and I had the window rolled down. The wind ripped at my hair, tangling it up in my bandanna. Gilbert had given it to me when we were younger, but I knew it didn't bother Roderich, so I still wore the frayed old thing. Tonight, I wore it paired with a pair of pants I had cut into little shorts and a simple tank top. I knew Roderich was out of place, but I wanted to see him relaxed for once. He looked so different now, I remember thinking, laughing. Replacing his nice, aristocrat clothes, he wore a dingy tee shirt and faded jeans. I thought, I must be the luckiest girl alive, to see him like this. I got to see him always, I mused, but my favorite times to see him was when he was going to bed, when he was sleepy-looking, his hair messy and his ostentatious clothes gone. When he was wearing some soft, cottony pajamas. When he was acting like he was good at 'outdoors' work like our friend, and he was wearing a patched up coat and work pants. Oh, he was still Roderich, but there was something about him when he didn't dress so stuffily. He seemed freer, more tranquil, more relaxed. Maybe it was just my imagination.

He was a careful driver, usually, but I always goaded him into going faster, faster, until he was flying around the corners. Only I could coax his more outgoing side out, but it was well worth all of the effort I put in. To see his expression when he was slipping from his poised elegance was like flying. He looked so natural like this, his half-smiling, half-stern expression, his flashing eyes, the curl of his lips. I laughed and incited him, calling faster, faster, turning up the music, the music he claimed he hated, singing loudly and merrily. Belting out the songs I knew he secretly loved, because I loved them. He would always deny it, but his eye lit up when I sang them.

It was a hot night, did I mention that? The sweat was forming a repulsive sheen on my skin, and I felt sticky and unattractive, but Roderich glanced over and laughed good-naturedly. He didn't care what I looked like. With a free hand, he reached over and rested his long, pianist fingers on my hand, gently, boldly, yet shyly. He was so cute like that. I giggled and reached over, changing the radio station. But the song I changed it from was upbeat and bright; the song it changed to was far from it.

He glanced at me, questioningly, and I hastily changed it. But the mood had darkened. The bright, buoyant notes bounced cheerily throughout the car, but why, why did it suddenly seem so ominous?

"Why did you stop singing?" he asked softly, half-teasing, half-puzzled.

"Are you really fond of my terrible yowling?" I teased, touching his hand with my other one. He shook his head.

"Fine. It's nicer when the car is quiet, anyway."

"Oh, you hurt my feelings!" I teased. My eyes watered, and I reached up and covered a yawn.

"You're already tired?" he mused, turning carefully. We were in a dense wood of some sort, in total darkness. The headlights made a little pool of light ahead of us. The road was in disrepair, and it was really bumpy, but Roderich drove so carefully, that I hardly noticed. He had slowed down again. I pouted, but didn't say anything. His thumb began to move, just slightly, rubbing the back of my hand. I smiled serenely. He was so cute.

Only I ever saw this side of him. It made me feel special. I laughed, and he glanced over, his brows raised in surprise.

_We were out on a date in my daddy's car_

_We hadn't driven very far_

The ground became more even, and I reached over, nudging him playfully.

"C'mon, go faster!"

"There is a speed limit," he replied shortly. I shook my head.

"You're just chicken." His lips tightened, and I chuckled.

"You're going to get us killed," he said, trying to seem in control. I shook my head.

"It's only us on the road! You're just afraid!"

"Of what, may I ask?"

"Of acting like a real teenager!" I laughed, "Live a little, Roderich! We only have a year until we graduate!" He tightened his grip on the wheel.

"Don't remind me," he said softly. I leaned forward.

"Don't you wanna get out of this little town?"

"…" He sighed and withdrew his hand, leaving me grabbing for air.

"What wrong, Roderich?"

"… I haven't been able to tell you, but I was hoping I could in a different setting."

"What do you mean…?"

"My parents signed me up for the army," he said softly. My eyes widened.

"What…? No, Roderich, you can't!" I felt a choking feeling in my throat. He shook his head,.

"I don't have a choice in the matter," he said. I shook my head.

"No, no, this isn't right! They can't just send you away! You could do so much if you could go to college!"

"Elizabeta." he said. I stopped. The road became smoother beneath us.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he said, "And I'll go to college, and life will be great. Trust me." His hand fell on mine again, and I took it and squeezed.

"You better not be lying to me, Roderich," I replied. The radio broadcast became riddled with static, and I beat my fist on the space of dashboard above the machine. The static died out, and Roderich laughed, but when the static left, it was replaced with the brightest, most affectionate song. I turned to him and shook my head.

"The radio sided with you."

"I don't know what your talking about," he replied smoothly, speeding up. The road was unusually even, but we just laughed it off and enjoyed the ride. I picked at him until he was speeding, miles over the speed limit.

_There in the road, straight ahead_

_A car was stalled, the engine was dead_

He turned the corner, and we both gasped. There was a car… scattered across the road. It rested on its back like an armored insect, its insides strewn about. Dark smoke gushed from under the hood.

_I couldn't stop, so I swerved to the right_

If I hadn't asked him to speed up, we might had been able to maneuver around it. It would have been easy, actually, and we could have escaped with a flat tire or scratched door. But we were flying, and he couldn't slow the car enough. He turned the wheel sharply, and I screamed as we found the edge of the tire. There was something-something that turned the car, and we were rolling, rolling down the embankment, down, down. I still had his hand in mine, and my nails bit into his skin as I clutched at it in terror.

_The screaming tires, the busting glass_

I felt the door press in as it was crushed like tin foil, and the roof came down around us. I was too afraid to cry, but I could feel the tears in my eyes, clinging to my lashes.

_The painful scream that I heard last_

I heard Roderich's voice, strained and loud, crying out something incoherent. I opened my eyes, but the car was airborne, and when we hit the ground again, I smashed my head against the window. The last thing I heard was the glass shattering before I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, the air was thick and the sky was dark. I could hear my ragged breathing, like gasps, and the faint wail of far-off sirens. Rain had begun to fall, like drumbeats on the creased hood of the truck. Everything was black on one side, and I reached up and gingerly touched the side of my eye. There was shards of something, glass I think, embedded in my skin, and something warm and wet running down my face and cheek. I brought my hand toward my right eye, but it was utterly black, and all I saw was a dark liquid dripping down my fingers in thick tracks. I'm bleeding.

_When I woke up the rain was coming down_

_There were people standing all around_

_Something warm flowing through my eyes_

_But somehow I found my baby that night_

Everything came back to me. I was in a car. I had just gotten in a car accident. I was hurt. And it was almost certain that Roderich was hurt too. Roderich! He could be hurt, or dead… I needed to find him… I needed to find Roderich… help him…

"Roderich, Roderich… speak to me…" It hurt, but I managed to turn toward the driver's seat. To this day, I wish I hadn't.

He was still fastened into his seat, sitting perfectly still. His glasses were cracked and crooked, barely holding to the bridge of his nose. His face was drenched in blood from two gashes spanning his forehead. I could see dark blood spreading across his shirt. There was a sharp arrow of metal, twisted in a almost seashell-like spiral, jutting from his chest and tipped in glossy red. His arm was pierced as well, pinned to the door as if someone had played a twisted game of darts with his arm as the dartboard.

"Roderich…" I choked out, too afraid to cover my mouth. He opened his eyes slowly. His expression was serene.

"Elizabeta… I'm glad you woke up. I was afraid… that you had died…" He tried to move, but winced and let himself fall back to the seat.

"Roderich… oh, God…"

"It looks worse than it feels," he said, chuckling faintly, "It doesn't hurt at all, to be honest. I can't feel it, anyway."

"God, God…" I felt suffocating tears rise up, and he tried to reassure me with his eyes.

"Come here… can you move?" he reached out with his free arm and brushed a long strand of hair behind my ear, "Let me hold you."

_She lifted her head_

_She looked at me and said,_

_'Hold me, darling, just a little while.'_

I unfastened my belt and crept toward him. My head rested over his heart. It was still beating, I realized; he could still make it.

"Your poor face," he whispered, ghosting his fingers over the shards of glass, "Your poor, beautiful face… look what happened to it… You're going to be scarred up and it's my fault…"

"Don't blame yourself," I said, inhaling sharply as if that would stop my tears, "I was the one who w… wanted you to go faster." He smiled gently and ran his pianist fingers through my hair.

"If you're going to blame yourself, then it definitely is my fault," he said, chuckling. I sniffled and wiped my eyes.

"Don't cry, Elizabeta… It hurts to see you cry. It'll be alright-" he coughed, and I looked up in horror. Even in the dark, I could see the speckles of crimson on his lips.

"No! Y-you… I'm so sorry, Roderich!" I said, letting the tears pour down my cheeks. He smiled faintly.

"It's not your fault," he said gently, "I wanted to tell you something though…" He brushed a tear from my cheek tenderly.

"Anything," I whispered. His fingers began to stroke my hair again, slowly.

"I've always wanted to tell you… I love you, Elizabeta. I love you so much, and that I will always protect you." I began to cry harder, staring at the torn leather of the seat as if it could fix everything.

"Oh, R-Roderich! Please, don't say it like that!"

"Like what?" he questioned softly.

"Like it's over," I whimpered, looking up. His face relaxed and he chuckled.

"Liza…" he said slightly, and he gasped, coughing again. I held onto him as tight as I dared. Amethyst eyes opened slowly.

"I promise… I won't die, Elizabeta. Not now, and not ever." I managed a soggy smile, choked with tears and pain.

"You can't live forever, Roderich."

"I'll find a way to live forever if you won't ever cry again," he said softly. I felt his long fingers slide from the back of my neck and close around my jaw gently, weakly. He angled my face just slightly. I found his eyes; he smiled gently and leaned down. His lips met mine almost tentatively, brushing against them before finding their place. I shivered and moved closer. His lips were warm and soft, a sanctuary. It was like nothing I had felt before. I fell in love, all over again. I felt his fingers move into my hair from my jaw, gentle. Weak. His strength was fading. Finally, we broke, and he smiled feebly.

"I've wanted to do that since I met you, Elizabeta." I smiled, wiping my eyes with his thumb.

"Why didn't you, silly?" I mumbled, sniffling. He smiled weakly.

_I held her close, I kissed her our last kiss_

_I found the love that I knew I had missed_

_He let out a weak, tired sound, like a shuddering breath._

"I wish I had, Elizabeta," he mumbled faintly, his voice drifting off, "I truly wish I had…" I looked up, and his eyes were closed. His face looked so serene now. I wiped his cheek, smearing away the thick blood, but his skin was already too stained. His pale skin was marred by the dark stains My tears had slowed, and my breathing had as well, but I didn't know why.

"Roderich…" I brushed his hair from his forehead, but I soaked my hand in his blood. He looked at peace now.

"I love you too," I whispered, feeling that familiar throbbing in my head. The world began to shift in and out of focus, and I rested my head over his silent heart before closing my eyes.

_Now she's gone, even though I hold her tight_

_I lost my love, my life, that night_

* * *

The first thing I felt was cotton. Soft, warm fabric wrapped around me. Clean comfort. I opened my eyes, but I could still only see through my left eye. The other was bandaged up. I realized one of my arms was wrapped up to my shoulder, and I couldn't move it. My eyes shifted around, searching. Was I in a hospital?

How did I get here?

"Ah, you've woken up." I started and glanced toward the voice. A young woman in a white coat stood in the doorway. With a curt nod, she approached me.

"I'm Dr. Arlovskaya," she said softly. She was an imposing woman, surely. She had long, ivory hair and cool blue eyes. "I was just going to check on your wounds. Are you feeling alright? Any dizziness?" I shook my head, feeling a slight throbbing near my eye. She leaned down and rested the back of her hand on my forehead.

"Your fever has gone down," she noted, "Here, I'll be gentle…" She began to unravel the gauze around my eye. The world was really blurry on that side.

"_Da_… I think if will only cause problems if it's left," she said, standing up, "I'm sorry." She didn't look it though. I nodded, and carefully, she bandaged up my face again.

"Are you hungry?" she asked. I ignored the question.

"How… how long have I been here?" I asked. My voice sounded weak.

"About three days," she said. I sat up quickly, bringing my arm down. I cried out in pain and jerked it back, biting my lower lip to hold back another cry.

"Where's Roderich?" I asked, clutching my arm to my chest. She looked away.

"... Was that the boy in the car?" she asked softly.

"What… happened to him?" I asked, feeling more tears. I used my good, strong arm to wipe my eyes. She turned.

"You have a visitor," she said, "Shall I let him in?" I sunk to my bed.

"Yes…" She nodded, refusing to face me.

I recognized that mess of platinum hair as soon as he entered. He shuffled between his feet awkwardly, looking up and looking down immediately after.

"Gilbert…" I tried to compose myself, for his sake.

"I heard you were in the hospital… so I tried to get in right away, but they said you weren't awake… how are you feeling?" he blurted out, looking up. I nodded.

"A little fuzzy, but I'm doing good. Come on, sit down!" I forced myself to laugh. It sounded so foreign, so fake. "What happened? Someone steal your sunshine?" He smiled insecurely and sat at the edge of my bed.

"What happened while I was out?" I asked. He shook his head.

"Nothing interesting," he said blandly. He was studying me, staring at my bandages.

"Pretty sweet, hunh?" I asked, lifting my arm to show him. It hurt too much and I had to set it down quickly.

"I can't believe you survived," he whispered, and he turned away. Not before I saw a glitter of tears. I laughed again, but it didn't sound like me.

"Are you crying? Really?" I tapped his shoulder, and he glanced back. I grinned widely, forced.

"See? Perfectly fine! Now don't be a baby, Gil!" He shook his head.

"I'm not crying," he said stubbornly, "I'm too awesome to cry. I just got some of the cotton from your mummification in my eye!" He rubbed at his eyes fiercely. I laughed until he turned back to me.

"So… you know…" he looked away. "About Roderich…" I looked down at my hands.

"What happened to him?" I asked softly. He looked at me, but when I tried to make eye contact, he avoided my gaze.

"He…" he looked down at his lap, and I understood.

"He's really gone then…" I mumbled.

"He was already dead when the emergency crews got there… they barely saved you." Though I knew I should have been tearful, hurt, falling apart, I felt nothing. I felt… emptiness.

"Gil…" He looked at me, and I looked into his eyes. He must have seen an empty girl.

"Come here, Elizabeta," he said, opening his arms. I let myself lean against his chest and close my eyes. He rocked me slowly, carefully avoiding my bandages.

"I'll be alright," he murmured, and I nodded for his sake. He was still warm, still alive. I could still rely on my friend. But I would never forget the one man who meant more than the world to me.

_Roderich, will you wait for me_? I mouthed silently, _Will you welcome me with open arms? Can I sit along side you in Heaven, so we can enjoy each other's company again, like we did when we were both so innocent_?

_Can we do that, or is it too late? Is it too far gone to be just kids again, to play in the grass and watch the sunset? Can we just be young forever in Heaven? _

_Will you wait? So when my time comes, I can join you? Will you do that for me_?

_Oh where oh where can my baby be?_

_The lord took her away from me_

_She's gone to heaven so I've got to be good_

_So I can see my baby when I leave this world._

* * *

So I was kinda nervous for posting this one... I felt like it probably couldn't contend against C A N C E R or Je T'aime, Tu Me Manques. If I ask nicely, will you all tell me what you think? Even if you hated it... I don't mind. I just want to know what your opinions are.

R&R please.


	2. Alternate Version

This is for _ma chere soeur_, who suggested it. (See explanation at the bottom.)

Last Kiss

It was dark that night, I remember, but it was summer. It must have been late, long past dusk. I remember all of the sights, the feelings, the smells of that night. It was humid, almost oppressive, and the wind screamed in through the windows, cooling our skin.

Only Elizabeta ever riled me up like this. She would goad me into speeding up, pressing my foot onto the gas pedal until we were skidding around corners, racing down straight-a-ways. But I secretly enjoyed the way she taunted me. It always began with mild suggestions, before she was full-out teasing me. I always fell for it.

_We were out on a date in my daddy's car_

_We hadn't driven very far_

I had taken her to dinner tonight, and she had begged to take the long route home. She claimed she wanted to spend all night with me, but if I _insisted_on bringing her home, she wanted to waste as much time as she could before having to go home. I gave in, because she was just so persuading. She had her feet up on the dashboard, bare toes spread to the air. She had worn a faded gingham dress she had found in her closet, and a equally faded bandanna tied up in her messy waves. I don't know how she did it, but tonight, she looked even more beautiful than she had at dinner, or at school, or yesterday, or any time before now. And she just kept getting more beautiful. I couldn't help but glance at her every few moments. She looked back and just laughed, and I barely managed to tone down my dopey smile. I reached over and rested my hand on hers, and she beamed like a child just given ice cream. But she didn't say anything to me. She just kept singing every song that played on the radio. Not that I minded.

Her bright eyes flashed and she laughed brightly I suddenly knew why it was dark outside. The sun didn't want to compete with her beauty and radiance.

"I love this song!" She began to belt out the lyrics happily, and I chuckled and squeezed her hand gently. The road could be as rough as it wanted, and the night as muggy as it cared. So long as I was beside Elizabeta, the world could come crashing down around me. I wouldn't care.

The song she had been singing died down, and there was a dramatic change in the mood. A darker, eviler sound permeated the car from the radio. I glanced over at her, worried, and she quickly changed the station. A loud, raucous rock band screamed from the speakers, and she laughed nervously.

"What was that about?"

"You stopped singing," I mused, as she settled back into her seat.

"What, you like my singing?"

"Hmph. Well, it's nicer when the car's quiet anyway," I replied lightly, turning the corner smoothly.

"You so mean!" she cried out, reaching over and nudging me. I chuckled. She huffed and began to sing again. Her annoyance melted into the atmosphere as soon as it appeared. She was laughing and grinning within a moment.

"Sing with me!" she implored.

"I'd rather not," I replied dryly.

"Fine. After graduation, I'm gonna make you come out of your stuffy shell."

"Can you wait a year?"

"Hell yeah! I can't wait for graduation!" I scowled.

"Don't remind me," I said bitterly. She looked over.

"What, you don't want to graduate? I thought you wanted to get out of this stuffy town." _If you only knew, Elizabeta…_

I sighed and gripped the wheel tighter. She looked over at me, and I could see the concern in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Roderich?"

"… I was going to wait and tell you. But I really haven't had the nerve to confess." "What is it?" she leaned forward, and I swallowed and forced myself to stare at the road. I took my hand away from hers; I couldn't touch her anymore, it was wrong. She grabbed at the air.

"My parents enlisted me in the military, Elizabeta." I heard her gasp.

"What? No, you can't go!"

"I'm afraid I have no choice in the matter," I murmured. She shook her head passionately.

"No, they just can't do this to you! What about college! You could do so much if you could go to college! This isn't fair!" She was so distraught. I had to do something.

"Elizabeta." she looked up, her eyes fierce and pleading at the same time. I reached over and took her hand again.

"I promise, I'll come back as soon as I can. I'll go to college, and everything will be wonderful. I promise." She took my hand in hers and squeezed it.

"You'd better not be lying to me," she said softly. Suddenly, the radio signal was overcome with loud, ugly static. She jumped and dropped my hand with one of hers to beat the space over the device. The sound the filled the car was a soft, classic love song. I glanced over at her and smiled gently. A soft bubble of laughter escaped before I could catch it, and she glanced over and shook her head like a child.

"The radio sided with you."

I laughed again. "I don't know what your talking about." The road was unusually smooth, and I guess I was feeling a bit cocky, or proud, because I sped up. Neither of us saw a problem with the road conditions. She kept teasing me until we were flying, skidding around corners. She was laughing and cheering, and I had never seen her look lovelier than right then.

_There in the road, straight ahead_

_A car was stalled the engine was dead._

I took another corner far too fast, and that would prove to be the fatal mistake. I could barely register the image of the gutted car spread out across the street before I turned the wheel sharply.

_I couldn't stop, so I swerved to the right_

If I hadn't been speeding, I could have avoided this. No one would have been hurt. But I had acted like an egoist, and a higher power was taking revenge. We struck a piece of sharp steel, and Elizabeta screamed as a tire blew out. I lost control of the car at that moment, and the passenger door grated along the guard rail. Elizabeta clutched my hand tightly, and I tried to recover control. It was too late; we found the edge of the guardrail, and the car tipped as it tumbled over the edge. She screamed again, and I let go of the wheel to hold her still, to protect her from what I knew was going to happen.

_I'll never forget the sound that night_

_The screaming tires, the busting glass_

I felt the car crushing in around us, locking us into place. I struggled to take Elizabeta's other hand and I squeezed it, trying to reassure her. Her nails bit into my skin, hard enough to draw blood. But I didn't make a sound. Fear kept my voice pinned in my throat.

_The painful scream that I heard last_

"Elizab-!" I heard her scream, a terrible, sickening sound, and I tried to turn to her. We landed roughly and my glasses bounced off, leaving me blind. Not that my eyes were open anyway. I heard the glass shatter. We rolled again, and a branch smashed through the windshield. Glass covered us from the entry point, and I only saw the bough for a split second before it broke the skin of my chest. I cried out, and it broke off at the skin as we too a final roll. My head collided with the steering wheel, and I slipped from consciousness.

* * *

I woke up and my head was throbbing. There was warm blood running down my face, but I reached over. My first thought was of Elizabeta.

"Elizabeta… where are you…"

_When I woke up the rain was coming down_

_There were people standing all around_

_Something warm flowing through my eyes_

_But somehow I found my baby that night_

I found her wrist and held it. Her arm was utterly limp.

"Elizabeta… say something… please…" My worst fears began to play out in my mind. Was she dead? Unconscious? In a coma? Would she ever speak again?

"Ngh… Roderich…" My eyes widened and I stared blindly.

"Elizabeta, are you alright?" I asked, feeling up her arm to touch her face. As I moved upward, I felt a thick, warm liquid running down her arm.

"Stop… please, I don't want you to see this…" she said softly. Her voice was so faint and breathy. My fingers crept over her shoulders, and I felt something wet and metallic prodding from the junction of her shoulder and neck. I gasped softly.

"Elizabeta…"

"It's alright," she whispered, "It's just a flesh wound, after all." She laughed weakly. I felt around it. It was a sharp _something_ made of a thin sheet of metal… and it was angled… across her body…

"Elizabeta," I whispered, "What happened?"

"It'll be fine," she murmured, "I've seen people live through worse… this is nothing compared to that… I'm glad your awake though. I thought you had died…"

"We need to get out," I urged. Reason was lost when fear and anxiety invaded my mind. I couldn't bear to lose her… she was the _only_ thing in the world I cared for anymore…!

"You're being silly," she chuckled, "But then again, you can't see."

"What do you mean…" I asked, touching her cheek gently . She leaned into my hand.

"I can't move, Roderich," she murmured, "It's like when you get shot with an arrow- if you pull it out, you'll bleed to death. I'll surely die if I move. Just sit with me for a while…" I nodded and felt around for the seat belt catch. When I freed myself, I tried to move, but gasped and fell back. I still had the length of tree branch embedded in my chest, and it was holding me to the seat.

"Oh… Roderich…" I felt her fingers on my chest, touching just under the entrance wound, and I flinched.

"This is nothing compared to what happened to you, Elizabeta…" I winced and pulled myself up. There was a tremendous ripping sound and I cried out as I pulled myself from the seat. I reached back. There was at least four inches of the branch sticking through my back, just beneath my shoulder blade. It was dripping blood at a steady rate, and I felt a bit nauseous.

"Let me hold you," I whispered, feeling over the center console. She took my hands.

"I was hoping you'd ask…" I found the end of the rod of metal. It exited just above her hip, siphoning precious blood from her body. With some effort and pain, I crept from my seat and moved close to her. There was no way to call for help anymore. I just hoped that the medics could get here quickly.

"You're so tense… are you afraid?" she asked. I chuckled.

"One of us needs to be, _liebling_," I replied, "I'm afraid for _you_."

"Don't be," she giggled softly, "I'm not afraid." She was careful when she enveloped me in her arms, and I moved closer to her. I could feel her heartbeat against mine.

"I promise to never leave you," I whispered.

"You better not," she laughed. "I can't chase you if you leave me now." She was joking because she was scared, I realized. I reached up and found her hair, and I ran my fingers through it gently.

"Elizabeta, I've had something I wanted to tell you for some time now…"

"What is it?" she inquired.

"I thought you would know," I whispered teasingly, moving my hand to feel her cheek, locate her lips. Her breath ghosted past my fingertips.

"No… I don't," she admitted faintly. I smiled.

"Elizabeta Hédevary, I'm in love with you." I caress her cheek gently, blindly, "I have been since I met you. I love everything about you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." I felt something warm and wet hit my finger. She sniffled.

_She lifted her head,_

_She looked at me and said,_

_"Hold me, darling, just a little while."_

"Unh… D-damnit… I don't want… to cry…" I smiled and leaned up, and we shared our first kiss. It was a soft, butterfly touch, just me trying to find her lips blindly. I locked on to her; her scent, her feel, and moved closer, because I couldn't draw her into my arms. It was the most beautiful moment I had ever felt. I felt her tears on my skin, warm and simply her. And when we parted, she let out a muffled sob. I smiled and brushed her tears away sightlessly.

_I held her close_

_I kissed her our last kiss;_

_I found the love that I knew I had missed_

"I love you, Elizabeta," I whispered, "I'm not going to leave you. They won't be able to pry me from your side." I felt her hand brush mine as she wiped her eyes.

"Thank you…" she whispered faintly, "Thank you… so much…" I felt her shuddering breath against my lips, and I felt her body slacken a bit.

"Elizabeta?" I wished to God that I could see, even for a moment, to see what had occurred. "Elizabeta… speak to me, please…" I was growing more frantic. "Elizabeta! Please, say something!" I touched her lips, and I felt no breath. My blood ran cold.

_Now she's gone, even though I hold her tight_

_I lost my love, my life that night._

"No… No, please…" I fumbled to find a pulse, and there was none. My heart hammered in my chest. "It can't be…" With trembling fingers, I tried to find a heartbeat. But there was none. She had left me. I felt painful, burning tears forming, and I lost the fight. They spilled down my cheeks like molten metal.

_She was still so young… she could have done so much, but it was my ignorance that did her in. _

"I'm so sorry, Elizabeta," I whispered, my voice choked with once-dormant sobs, "Please… come back to me…" I could hear faint sirens approaching, but I didn't care. They were far too late. They had let a beautiful, perfect person just die…

"Please… come back…" I whispered, and I felt the end of the stick strike the seat and jerk in my chest. I cried out in pain. Was I going to die here?

I realized a split second after I had thought that prior sentence that I didn't care. If I was going to die, I would at least die alongside Elizabeta, and there was nothing I could want anymore than that. I rested my head on her chest, yelping when the branch struck the seat again. More blood begin to run from the tip of the stake.

I felt my consciousness begin to ebb as the sirens grew closer. I guess this was it. I was going to die because of adolescent ignorance, going to suffer because I killed the one person that meant anything… But I wasn't afraid.

"I meant it all," I whispered faintly, "I meant it all, Elizabeta. I meant everything I said." The final strings of perception began to break, and I let myself drift off into oblivion close to the one I loved.

* * *

Slowly, I opened my eyes, and everything was dark.

"What…?" I narrowed my eyes to bring everything into focus, but with no avail.

"Ah, you've woken. I'm glad. How do you feel?"

"Who are you?" I asked faintly, turning my head toward the voice.

"Don't try to move too much," they implored, "You're going to hurt yourself." I heard the click of heels. "I'm Dr. Braginskaya," they said, "I was your surgeon." I felt a hand on my forehead and I flinched.

"Relax, I'm just checking your temperature… you seem okay… can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?" I shook my head. Everything was blurry, yet lit and warm-looking.

"I can't see without my glasses…"

"That would explain a lot. Thank you. Don't move, I said. You're going to reopen your stitches." They pressed on my collar gently, pushing me back to the bed.

"What happened?" I asked softly, squinting. I could see the blurry outline of a woman with light, short hair, leaning over me.

"The paramedics found your car at the edge of a ravine- if your car had shifted even slightly, you wouldn't be here right now, Mr. Edelstein. Be thankful." I nodded faintly.

"They had to pry open the car to get you out. It was a miracle you lived for that long, much less lived at all. You had a tree branch embedded in your chest. When we removed it, you almost bled out, but somehow we saved you. It's really a miracle that you're alive right now."

"What about… Elizabeta…?" I asked. The woman was silent. I could hear the blood pound through my veins, and I almost wished that it would stop.

"… She had perished before the medics reached the car," she said finally. My throat constricted.

"…I see." My sentence was short, clipped. I had known she was dead, but… I guess it was wishful thinking that clouded my judgment. There was no way she could have survived. Why did I set myself up for more pain?

"… Can you leave me, for a little bit?" I asked faintly, barely audibly. There was silence, but her blurry outline moved, nodded.

"I'll return in a half-hour to give you your medication." I heard the click of heels and she was gone. It all hit so suddenly, yet almost in slow-motion. I lost control of my body, and tremors overran my limbs. Bitter, painful tears formed in my eyes and overflowed my eyelids. I couldn't move to wipe my eyes, nor could I curl up and just cry. I was paralyzed, forced to endure my silent lament.

Silver tears rolled down my cheeks and soaked into my pillow uselessly. _Elizabeta, Elizabeta… It was my fault… I had _killed_ her…_

There was a knock at the door.

"Go away," I croaked.

"You look like you've gone through the wringer, Specs." My muscles seized up.

"Gilbert?" I heard the thud of boots as he walked over. The bed sagged as he sat by my hips.

"I heard what happened," he said, almost imperceptibly, "I'm so sorry."

"I don't want to talk about it," I said softly. More tears welled up in my eyes, but I couldn't hide then nor wipe them away.

"I understand. Do you need anything?" he murmured. I shook my head, and a small sob fought its way from my lips. I felt his finger under my eye, wiping away the surplus of tears, and I started.

"Gilbert…"

"It's pretty un-awesome to see you cry," he said, but it wasn't mean or cruel, "Do you want me to go?" I shook my head.

"No… it's alright, you can stay… please, stay…" I reached up and blindly grabbed. He caught my hand and set it down.

"I won't go if you don't want me to," he said, "You can just cry if you need to. I won't tell anyone." I nodded.

"Thank you…" He sat silently while I wept, while I lamented lost love, while I mourned for the thing that would never be again.

If I could take back that night, I would take it all back. I would wait a thousand years to confess my love if only she lived longer. Hell, I'd give Hades my life if only to prolong hers.

But it was too late. I bit my lower lip and began to pray.

_Elizabeta, don't wait for me if you don't want to. I love you, but I was a fool. I ruined your life, and for that, I deserve to die in your place. You beautiful angel, you perfect seraph… you saint, and it was foolhardiness that clipped your wings and sent you crashing. I don't deserve your forgiveness. I just hope that you made it, that you're flying once more… _

_Oh where oh where can my baby be? _

_The lord took her away from me_

_She's gone to heaven, so I've got to be good_

_So I can see my baby when I leave this world. _

* * *

I had been talking to my sister and had her read the first version, and one of her comments was "It would have been sadder if Elizabeta died." I didn't believe her, but I wrote this version regardless. Can anyone tell me which is sadder? I'm torn, because I wrote both, but... Please R&R, or just review... tell me which you preferred, or if they both sucked... _Merci beacoup et je suis desolé si tu n'aime pas les histoires._


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